William Cutting

William "Bill the Butcher" Cutting (1801-16 July 1863) was an American crime boss who was the leader of the Nativists gang of the Five Points of Manhattan, New York City, and he was involved in politics as a partner of William M. Tweed. He was a famous man who held much power in the city, but his power was ended with his death on 16 July 1863 during the New York draft riots.

Biography
William Cutting was born in 1801 to a family of Protestant English-Americans in New York City, New York, United States. Cutting grew up in a poor environment, and he became the owner of a butcher shop in the Five Points of Manhattan that his father once owned. Cutting resorted to crime in order to make money, and he became the leader of a gang of nativists in the Five Points. During the 1840s, his gang competed with the Irish Catholic "Dead Rabbits" gang of Priest Vallon, his respected rival, and he became known as "Bill the Butcher" for both his former profession in addition to his use of a butcher knife in combat and his fighting skills. On 6 February 1846, Cutting killed Vallon in the final battle for control of the Five Points, and he outlawed the Dead Rabbits; members like Happy Jack Mulraney and Gary McGloin joined his gang raher than find other lines of work. Cutting became a very powerful gangster, and he had connections to "Boss" William M. Tweed and Tammany Hall. Cutting held annual celebrations on the anniversary of his victory over Vallon, the last opponent that he respected. It was at one of those events that Vallon's son Amsterdam Vallon planned to kill him after re-forming the Dead Rabbits.

Cutting unknowingly took Vallon under his wing in 1862, as he knew him only as an associate of his employee Johnny Sirocco. Cutting became friends with him and came to believe that he was the "son he never had", and he used him to help him with business. Meanwhile, Cutting worked with Boss Tweed, giving him muscle for his political machine and letting him remain in power. Cutting was also active in protests against the freeing of African-Americans from slavery and from the draft, taking part in protests and the beating of African-Americans at the celebration of the Emancipation Proclamation's ratification. Cutting was known for his pro-Confederate States of America views. He was friends with Amsterdam until he found out that he was Priest's son from Johnny, who was jealous of his love with Cutting's ward Jenny Everdeane. Cutting had Johnny killed and badly injured Amsterdam in a trap at a P.T. Barnum exhibition, and he decided to let him live in shame, just as his father had done with him on one occasion. Cutting scored a victory over the nativists when he had newly-elected Sheriff Monk McGinn murdered in cold blood in front of a crowd, and at the funeral he challenged Vallon to a gang fight.

In July 1863, Vallon was able to gain his chance for revenge during the New York draft riots, when the fight was planned to take place. He led attacks against upper-class citizens and African-Americans, leading to many lynchings and the ransacking of mansions. Cutting and his gang fought Vallon and his gang in the square as dust and smoke filled the square, with the US Navy shelling rioters. The two gangs met in battle, and Cutting nearly killed Vallon. However, a cannon blast knocked the two of them down, and Cutting was killed by shrapnel that hit him in the chest. His last words were, "Thank God, I die a true American", and he was stabbed to death by Vallon as he lay on the ground. He was buried in Brooklyn next to Vallon, but their graves were eventually overgrown, and they were no longer remembered by future generations.